Quote:
Originally posted by mcrowder
You touched on my pet peeve though - umpires who just try to get the game over with, or who change the way they call based on how long the game has gone.
|
Then you will love this one, just hope I can remember it correctly.
Well, I know there are a few guys on here familiar with umpiring in DE and they will tell you that going to the 8th inning of any championship play game will cost that crew a case of beer. These guys can smell it. You'll be working a tied game and those not on the field start gathering like vultures behind the backstop just to make sure the crew doesn't try to lie their way out of buying the beer. They also like to add a little sarcastic entertainment to the game while standing there.
A few years back I was working the plate in a Men's D Regional in DE. The score had been close the whole game and we are in the bottom of the 7th with the score tied, runner on 2B (big guy, a bit heavy) and two outs.
B2 hits a hot liner to center and R1 doesn't hesitate coming around 3B. Unfortunately, F8 had a cannon and returned the ball almost as fast as it got out there.
I'm setting up for a play and I can see this guy is going to be so dead out at the plate, they could have started digging the grave right then. The runner is huffing and puffing and I'm already thinking about the beer I'm going to have to buy when I ring this guy up. All of a sudden, F1 reaches out and snaps the throw out of the air 50 feet from the plate and R1 scores standing up.
I was in shock. The blues behind the backstop were ticked off. The pitcher just lost the game for his team.
I waited for my partner at the 3rd base egress. We headed out and I noted that we dodged a bullit. He says, no problem, I just said "cut".
I froze in my tracks and said, "You did what?" He just laughed and said, "not really, but it sounded good".